Sofa bed



May 28, 1963 R. A FISHER 3,090,970

SOFA BED Original Filed July 29, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 28, 1963 R. A. FISHER 3,090,970

SOFA BED Original Filed July 29, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,090,970 SOFA BED Richard A. Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn., assignmto The United States Bedding Co., St. Paul, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Original application July 29, 1953, Ser. No. 370,985. Di-

vided and this apphcation June 23, 1958, Ser. No.

4 Claims. (Cl. 5-55) This invention relates to a sofa bed, and is primarily concerned with that type of sofa bed in which the sofa has a main or stationary frame to which is attached an extensible frame that can be opened up into bed position or folded into sofa position.

This application is a division of the copending application Ser. No. 370,985, filed July 29, 1953, and now abandoned, entitled Sofa Bed.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for securely holding the extensible frame in the folded or sofa position. Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sofa bed in open position;

FIG. 2 is a detailed fragmentary sectional view showing the arrangement of the securing levers; and

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing the arrangement of parts when the frame sections are in a partially folded position.

The invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in which there is provided a sofa frame 290 to which the supporting plates 192 of an extensible frame are pivoted at 194. The supporting plates 192 are rigidly attached to the extensible frame by rivets '196. The extensible frame has a rear section 198 pivoted at 200 to a rear intermediate section 202; the rear intermediate section is pivoted at 204 to a forward intermediate section 206 which, in turn, is pivoted at 208 to a forward section 210. The intermediate legs 212 are attached to the extensible frame at the pivots 204 which connect-the two inter-mediate sections. The forward legs 214 are pivotally attached at 216 to the forward section 210.

A pair of links 218 is pivotally attached at 220 to the forward intermediate section and is pivotally connected at 222 to the upper end of the legs 214. When the forward section is pivoted relative to the forward intermediate section, the links 213 cause the legs 214 to pivot in a clockwise direction about the point 216 so that the legs will fold alongside the rails of the front section 210. A pair of levers 224 are pivoted at 226 to the brackets 228 which aresecured to a forward portion of the sofa frame 190. The upper end of each lever 224 is pivotally attached at 230 both to a plate 232 and one end of link 234. The other end of each link 234 is pivoted at 236 to a bracket 238 which is rigidly secured to a side rail of the rear section 198. Each plate 232 is pivoted at 240 to a side rail of the rear intermediate section 202 and is also pivotally connected at 242 to a link 244. The link 244 is pivoted at 246 to the intermediate leg 212 and serves to raise the intermediate leg when the rear intermediate section is pivoted relative to the rear section.

One end of an auxiliary link 248 is also pivoted at 246 to the intermediate leg and the other end is pivoted at 250 to a frame 252. The frame is pivoted at 254 to a side rail of the forward section 210. The frames 252 carry one or more transverse boards 255 which form part of the forward wall of the sofa when the extensible frame is in folded or sofa position.

I shall now describe this locking means. A pair of locking pins 256 is attached to each of the forward sections and extend laterally of the extensible frame. A pair "ice of plates 258 is pivoted at 260 to the front section 210 and are adjacent to the locking pin 256. A releasing pin 262 is secured to each of the plates and extend laterally thereof. A releasing bar 264 extends between and is rigidly attached to the plates 258. The locking bar is positioned underneath the horizontal flanges of the front section when the extensible frame is in the bed position and overlies these horizontal flanges when the extensible frame is in the sofa position.

The locking pins 256 are adapted to be engaged by a pair of securing levers 266 which are best shown in FIG. 2. At an intermediate point 268 the securing levers 266 are pivoted to a bracket 270 which is rigidly secured to the rear intermediate section 202 and the lower end of each securing lever is pivoted at 272 to a driving link 274, the other end of which is held within the guide slots 276. The driving ink 274 is pivoted at 278 to a link 280, one end of which is also restrained by the guide slot 276. The other end of the link 280 is pivotally attached at 282 to a forward intermediate section. The operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is as follows:

The forward section is first folded at an angle of relative to the forward intermediate section and then the forward section and forward intermediate section are folded at an angle of 90 relative to the rear intermediate section. During this latter folding operation the pivotal connection between links 280 and 274 is forced rearwardly along the guide slot 276 which in turn causes the link 274 to move rearwardly, exerting a force on the pivot point 272 connecting the securing lever 266 and the link 274. The securing lever then pivots in a clockwise direction about the point 268. A notch 284 is formed in each of the securing levers 266 and is adapted to receive the fixed locking pins 256, when the parts are in the positions described above, as shown in FIG. 3. A spring 286 anchored at one end to the securing lever 266 slightly above its pivot point 263 and at the other end to the driving link 274 urges the notches 284 and locking pins 256 into engagement and firmly holds them. After the pins 256 are engaged in the notches 284, the folding operation is completed and the extensible frame is locked in sofa position.

When unfolding the sofa bed, the extensible frame is first unfolded until the positions of the parts resemble the positions assumed by the parts of the first embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 3. At this point the releasing bar 264 is pulled upwardly, that is, towards the operator, causing the plate 258 to pivot in a clockwise direction about the point 260. This rotation of the plate 258 produces a camming action between the releasing pin 262 and the securing lever 266 which opposes the action of the spring 286 and forces the securing lever in a counterclockwise direction, thereby freeing the locking pin 256 from the notch 284 formed in the securing lever. The unfolding operation may then be continued until the frame is fully extended into bed position.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a new and improved means has been invented for securely holding the extensible frame in folded or sofa position and that this new and improved means is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and may be easily applied to sofa beds like those specifically illustrated and described and to other sofa beds of the same general type. The invention is not limited to the precise details shown and described, but may assume various forms and includes all modifications, variations, and equivalents coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sofa bed of the class described having a fixed frame and an extensible frame including a rear section pivotally attached to said fixed frame, a rear intermediate section pivotally attached to said rear section, a forward intermediate section pivotally attached to said rear inter mediate section, and a forward section pivotally attached to said forward intermediate section, a pair of front attaching plates for attachment to a front part of the fixed frame, means pivoted on each of said attaching plates to control the movement of the rear and rear intermediate bed sections between sofa position and bed position, a pair of intermediate legs pivoted on the rear intermediate section, a pair of 'front legs pivoted on the forward section, a separate linkage to draw each of said pairs of legs rearwardly as the extensible frame is moved toward sofa position, a locking pin extending laterally from each side of said for ward section, a plate pivotally attached to the side of said forward section, a releasing pin extending laterally from each of said plates, a releasing bar extending laterally between each of said plates and connected thereto, a securing lever pivotally attached to the side of said rear intermediate section, said securing lever being provided with a pin receiving notch, and means for causing said securing lever to rotate as said extensible frame is folded to sofa position to engage and secure said pin within said notch, said releasing bar being adapted to rotate said plates and cause said releasing pin to cam said securing levers out of engagement with said locking pins.

2. A sofa bed of the class described having a fixed frame and an extensible frame including a rear section pivotally attached to said fixed frame, a rear intermediate section pivotally attached to said rear section, a forward intermediate section pivotally attached to said rear intermediate section, and a forward section pivotally attached to said forward intermediate section, a pair of front attaching plates'for attachment to a front part of the fixed frame, means pivoted on each of said attaching plates to control the movement of the rear and rear intermediate bed sections between sofa position and bed position, a pair of front legs pivoted on the forward section, a separate linkage to draw said pairs of legs rearwardly as the extensible frame is moved toward sofa position, a locking pin extending laterally from each side of said forward section, a plate pivotally attached to the side of said forward section, a releasing pin extending laterally from eachof said plates, a releasing bar extending laterally between each of said plates and connected thereto, a securing lever pivotally attachedto the side of said rear intermediate section, said securing lever being provided with a pin receiving notch, and means for causing said securing levers to rotate as said extensible frame is folded to sofa position to engage and secure said pin within said notch, said releasing bar being adapted to rotate said plates and cause said releasing pin to cam saidsecuringlevers out of engagement with said locking pins.

3. A sofa bed of the class described having a fixed frame and an extensible frame including a rear section pivotally attached to said fixed-frame, a rear intermediate section pivotally attached to said rear section, a forward intermediate section pivotally attached to said rear intermediate section, and a forward section pivotally attached to said forward intermediate section, a pair of front attaching plates for attachment to a front part of the fixed frame, means pivoted on each of said attaching plates to control the movement of the rear and rear intermediate bed sections between sofa position and bed position, a locking pin extending laterally from each side of said forward section, a plate pivotally attached to the side of said forward section, a releasing pin extending laterally from each of said plates, a releasing bar extending laterally between each of said plates and connected thereto, a securing lever pivotally attached to the'side of said rear inter mediate section, said securing lever being provided with a pin receiving notch, and means for causing said securing levers to rotate as said extensible frame is folded to sofa position to engage and secure said pin within said notch, saidreleasing bar being adapted to rotate said plates and cause said releasing pin to cam said securing levers out of engagement with said locking pins.

4. A sofa bed of the class described having a fixed frame and an extensible frame including a rear section pivotally attached to said fixed frame, a rear intermediate section pivotally attached to said rear, section, a forward intermediate section pivotally attached to said rear intermediate section, and a forward section pivotally attached to said forward intermediate section, a pair of front attaching plates for attachment to a front part of the fixed frame, means pivoted on each of said attaching plates to control the movement of the rear and rear intermediate bed sections between sofa position and bed position, a

locking pin extending laterally from each side of said,

forward section, aplate pivotally attached to the side of said forward section, a releasing pin extending laterally from each of said plates, a releasing bar extending lateral- 1y between each of theplates, an operative connection between the releasing bar and the plates for effecting pivotal movement of the plate responsive to actuation of the bar and to release the pin, a securing lever pivotally at tached to the side of said rear intermediate section, said securing lever being provided with a pin receiving notch, and means for causing said securing levers to rotate as said extensible frame is folded to sofa position to engage and secure said pin within said notch, said releasing bar being adapted to rotate said plates and cause said releasing pin to cam said securing levers outcof engagement with said locking, pins.

References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,108,858 Bartlett Aug. 25, 1914 1,111,457 Henderson Sept. 22, 1914 1,126,010 Holst Jan. 26, 1915 1,143,974 Klopping June 22, 1915 1,218,748 De Does Mar. 13, 1917 1,363,400 Fichtenbaum Dec. 28, 1920- 1,366,419 Richardson Jan. 25, 1921 1,997,028 Wilkinson Apr. 9, 1935 2,576,062 Bebry Nov. 20, 1951 2,634,428 Fox Apr. 14,1953 2,728,922 Feinstein Jan. 3, 1956 2,807,030 Fox Sept. 24, 1957 

3. A SOFA BED OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED HAVING A FIXED FRAME AND AN EXTENSIBLE FRAME INCLUDING A REAR SECTION PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID FIXED FRAME, A REAR INTERMEDIATE SECTION PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID REAR SECTION, A FORWARD INTERMEDIATE SECTION PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID REAR INTERMEDIATE SECTION, AND A FORWARD SECTION PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID FORWARD INTERMEDIATE SECTION, A PAIR OF FRONT ATTACHING PLATES FOR ATTACHMENT TO A FRONT PART OF THE FIXED FRAME, MEANS PIVOTED ON EACH OF SAID ATTACHING PLATES TO CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF THE REAR AND REAR INTERMEDIATE BED SECTIONS BETWEEN SOFA POSITION AND BED POSITION, A LOCKING PIN EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM EACH SIDE OF SAID FORWARD SECTION, A PLATE PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO THE SIDE OF SAID FORWARD SECTION, A RELEASING PIN EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM EACH OF SAID PLATES, A RELEASING BAR EXTENDING LATERALLY BETWEEN EACH OF SAID PLATES AND CONNECTED THERERO, A SECURING LEVER PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO THE SIDE OF SAID REAR INTERMEDIATE SECTION, SAID SECURING LEVER BEING PROVIDED WITH A PIN RECEIVING NOTCH, AND MEANS FOR CAUSING SAID SECURING LEVERS TO ROTATE AS SAID EXTENSIBLE FRAME IS FOLDED TO SOFA POSITION TO ENGAGE AND SECURE SAID PIN WITHIN SAID NOTCH, SAID RELEASING BAR BEING ADAPTED TO ROTATE SAID PLATES AND CAUSE SAID RELEASING PIN TO CAM SAID SECURING LEVERS OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LOCKING PINS. 